Process and apparatus for the production of machine parts



July 13, 1926. Y Y 1,592,275 i p. GUERNEV PROCESS AND APPAEATES FOR THEPRODUCTION OF MACHINE PARTS Eiied owl-11", 1925 fial I i 56.2. a/

Patented July 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENYS GUERNE, or rorssY, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR To TITE STEEL rRoDUoTsCOMPANY, or CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION 013 01110.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MACKINE PARTS.

Application filed December 11, 1923, Serial No. 680,050, and in FranceMarch 15, 1923.

My invention relates to a process and an apparatus for producing metalparts of varying cross-sectional area such as, for example, poppetvalves for internal combustion engines, lubrication bolts, or similarmetal elements.

The object of theinvention is to produce such varying cross-section inthe particular article to be made, in an economical and eliicientmanner, and at the same time have imparted thereto, to the greatestpossible degree, such advantageous physical characteristics as its dutymay require.

The said invention consists of a method and apparatus hereinafter fullydescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The various ways of producing these articles having varyingcross-section and which have heretofore been practiced, are well knownto those skilled in the art, as by casting, forging. gathering, welding,machining, etc.

Some of these methods and the apparatus have involved the use of anelectric current for heating the blank, as for example isshown anddescribed in the Thomson Patent No. 396,010 issued January 8, 1889;

Lemp Patent No. 432,630 issued July 22, 1890; Lauder & Simpson PatentNo. 437; 654 issued September 30, 1890. and Murray Patent No. 1,259,275issued March. 12, 1918.

In so far as I am aware, the practice prior to my invention was suchthat thesize of an enlargement made in a single operation from a heatedbar of uniform cross-section when secured in a holder and then upset byforcing it against an abutment, without buckling the bar, was limited toa portion of the stock whose volume is approximately not greater thanthe area of the section of a cylindrical bar, multiplied by three timesthe diameter of such bar, or in the case ofa section other-thancircular. multiplied by three times the diameter of the circumscribingcircle of said section.

hot the "formation of such enlar ements of 1 e any desired size, by acontinuity of opera tion and independently of the diameter of the stockto be worked.

This I accomplish by supporting the stock or blank in one electrode soas to be slidable therein, then causing an extrusion of the blank fromsuch electrode and at the same time subjecting it to compression byapplying force in the direction of its axis counteracted b the physicalresistance of the other electrode acting either as a fixed or a movableabutment or clamp, as will hereinafter appear.

In this manner a portion of the blank is continually fed out of theelectrode so that the volume of metal being worked is conknown to thoseskilled in the art, is a critical point in the working of the steel, andsuch as marks a period in its physical character, beyond which it isdeteriorative as to the strength of the metal.

The elongated form of the electrode maintains the proper alinernent ofthe bar while it is'being extruded, whereby the force exerted by theblock 3 may be applied by contact only, avoiding the necessity ofclamping the end of the bar, as previously practiced.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however,constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a blank rod which may be usedto form a poppet valve by means of my improved apparatus and accordingto the method forming my present invention.

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of saidrod after having had theenlargement termed thereon. 1

blank.

Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of a completed valve made from thestructure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of one form of apparatus forcarrying out my invention, the electrical relationship of the partsbeing illustrated diagrammatically.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical cross-section of the apparatus taken on theplane indicated by line V-V in Fig. 41.

Fig. 6 represents a front elevation of a modified form of saidapparatus.

For the purpose of illustrating the method and apparatus constituting myinvention, 1 have elected to show in the drawings an ap paratus designedfor and hereinafter to describe the process carried out thereby as particularly applicable to, the manufacture of poppet valves. Theillustrated embodiment of that part of said invention which relates tothe apparatus, includes a suitable base 1, Fig. 1. At the right-hand endof said base, in the device illustrated, is formed a hori zontalslide-way 2 in which is mounted a block 3. This block is formed with ahorizontal interiorly threaded bore 1 which is engaged by a horizontal,rotatable but longitudinally fixed screw 5. The inner end of this screwis mounted in a suitable fixed bearing support (3 and the outer endportion thereof is mounted in a suitable fixed hearing support 7, theextreme outer end of the screw having fixed thereto a cone pulley 8 bymeans of which it may be driven through the medium of a suitable belt(not shown).

Also mounted upon the base is a two-part or divided electrode 9, thelower portion 10 of which is fixed with reference to the base and theupper portion 11 of which is vertically movable. The adjacent innerfaces of the two partsof the electrode are formed with horizontalgrooves 12 conforming in cross-section to the cross-section of the blankto be worked, which together form a seat through which the cylindricalrod or bar a in this particular illustrated instance to be operatedupon, may be slid as will be hereirr after explained.

The upper portion 11 of the electrode is provided with a vertical rack13, Fig. 5, which is engaged by a pinion 1 1 connected with a handle 15all suitably mounted in and supported by a fixed frame portion 16. Itwill therefore be seen that by turning the handle, the upper electrodeportion may be raised or lowered. The weight of the electrode portion 11and its attached parts is sufficient to cause same to bear down upon theupper surface of the rod or blank when in position to effect thenecessary electrical contact between the electrode parts and said At theother end of the base is formed a horizontal slide-way 17 upon which ismounted a second electrode 18, the latter having its inner end providedwith a die 19 having a concave or hemispherical face 20. The outer endof the electrode 18 is engaged by or connected with a horizontal andlongitudinally movable adjusting screw 21 mounted in a suitable fixedsupport 22 having an interior horizontal threaded bore 221 engaging thethreads of the screw 21. The

outer end of this screw is provided with a hand-wheel 2st by means ofwhich it may be rotated.

The two electrodes are suitably insulated from each other, as forexample by means of insulation 25, and they form terminals of anelectric circuit 26 including a suitable transformer 27. The electricalconnections with the electrodes are made properly flexible so that theymay accommodate themselves to the motion of said electrodes, as will bereadily understood.

it suitable switch 28 is provided in the primary circuit by means ofwhich the current may be turned on and off as required.

in operating the above described device, the electrode part 11 is firstraised as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 so as to permit the insertiontherebetween of a blank cylindrical rod a upon whose end it is desiredto form the enlargement necessary for making the required valve head,the block 3 having been first backed away so as not to interfere withsuch insertion.

The electrode 18 is then adjusted with reference to the electrode 9 soas to cause the die 19 to be properly spaced from the electrode 9, thelist-ance between said die and electrode being made sufficiently greatto permit of the formation of the enlargement of the desired sizewithout interterence. The requirements as to this distance aredetermined empirically and controlled by the experience of the operator.

After the electrode 18 has been properly set, the rod is placed inposition and the upper electrode 11 is lowered down upon the rod orblank so as to make the necessary electrical contact as shown in fulllines in Fig. 5, but as before described, such contact is justsufficient to permit the proper passage of the current through the blankand not prevent the latters sliding through the electrode =9 and in theseat provided therein. The screw 5 is then turned by a hand operation ofthe belt until the block 8 engages the right-hand end of the blank andmoves the latter until its left-hand end abuts the face of the die 19,as shown in full lines in Fig. 1:. The apparatus and blank are now inposition for the beginning of the enlarging operation. I

The switch 28 now being closed. current passes through the electrode 9into the blank, through the latter to the electrode 18, thusestablishing a closed circuit. That part of the blank which projectsfrom the electrode 9 and intermediately of the two elec:

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trodes olfers the most electrical resistance of any part of the circuit,and hence becomes heated, the current being of sufiicient strength toraise the temperature of'the projecting part suthciently to render sameplastic to the required degree. As soon as the metal reaches the properstate of plasticity, the belt power is thrown on so as to rotate screw 5and move the block 3 slowly but continuously in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 4. This causes the blank to move in a similardirection, effecting a compression thereof and in the direction of itsaxis by reason of the counteracting resistance and force produced by thestationary die-face 20 which acts as an abutment, thus.

causing the plastic metal to flow radially outward from the axis of therod, the concave form of the die-face lending itself to the initiationof such action. A continuation of this rotation causes the blank to becontinuously extruded from the electrode 9 toward the electrode 18,until the parts reach a position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4,and the plastic metal to gather and finally form the requiredenlargement 6 such as is shown in Fig. 2. Such extrusion is effectedwith comparative rapidity and so as not to produce a temperaturesubstantially exceeding the Ac3 point, as previously described.

'It will be noted that as a result of this extrusion there iscontinually presented on the exterior of the electrode 9 a portion a ofthe rod of the'original diameter thereof and hence of a maximum andconstant resistance.

moving same After the required enlargement is pro duced, the blank maythen be removed and such enlargement, which is still plasticall hot,subjected to further operations, suc asforging, pressing, upsetting,hammering, or.- the like, which may be desired or required in thefurther steps of fabrication and producing the required and finishedvalve head shown in Fig. 3.

In the modified form of the device shown in Fig. 6, in which the samereference char acters are used asin the previously described drawing, toindicate like parts in the two types of machine, I have provided a base1 formed with a longitudinal slideway 2 on which is mounted acarriage 1. This carriage is formed with a slide-way 17 upon which ismounted the adjustable elec-.

trode 18 movable by means of the screw 21 and hand-wheel 24:, all in amanner similar to that of the first described apparatus. The two-partelectrode 9 is also mounted upon this carriage and is provided with theupper movable part 11 and the means for vertically previously described.The block 3 in this case is made a fixed part of the frame and suitableinsulation such as 29 and 30 is introduced so as to prevent a shortcircuit.

As before, the two electrodes 9 and 18 are connected with the circuit 26including the transformer 27 and switch 28, and a longitudinally fixedand rotatable screw 5 is provided and engages and is adapted to move thecarriage 1 upon its slide-way.

In this last described apparatus, after the two electrodes have beenadjusted in the manner previously described, the blank introduced andthe required frictional contact between the blank and its slide-wayeffected, the screw 5 is turned by hand until the right-hand end of theblank abuts the block 3 and the left-hand end abuts the face of the die19. A further movement of the screw therefore will cause thelongitudinal compression and the gathering of the end of the blank inthe same manner as in the case of the previously described apparatus.

In this latter case, however, the blank is stationary and the electrodesare both n1ov able relatively thereto but still stationary relatively toeach other. The principle of operation, however. is exactly the same asbefore, there being produced in both cases 'a relative movement betweenthe two-part electrode and the blank and a relative move ment betweenthe other electrode and the block 3.

Also as before, there is a continuous extrusion throughout the operationof the blank relatively to the electrode 9.

It will be noted from the above that any desired amount or length of therod or blank may be gathered in one continuous operation, while at thesame time but a short portion of same projects from the electrode 9 andhence requires no support intermediately of the electrodes. My improvedprocess may therefore be readily applied to the production ofenlargements of any required size upon rods or blanks of comparativelysmall diameter.

What I claim is:

1. The steps in a process of producing metal parts, which consist insupporting a blank in an electrode; efiecting contact between one end ofsaid blank and a second and permanent electrode; passing an electriccurrent through said blank and effecting extrusion of said blank fromsaid firstnamed electrode toward said second-named electrode, Whileengaged by the latter.

2. The steps in a process of producing metal parts, which consist insupporting a blank in an electrode and in a ma'nner which will permit ofrelative movement between said electrode and blank; efiecting contactbetween a second and permanent electrode and one end of said blank;effecting such relative movement between said firstnamed electrode andblank and effecting a p relative movement of the second-named electrodetoward the unworked portion of said blank, at the same time passinganelectrical the electrode and the part ot the blank being Worked.

-l.-.l process of forming an enlargement on a metal blank comprisingelectrically heating the blank between two electrodes, ad-

vancing the unWorked portions thereof toward the heated part to etl'ectupsetting thereof so rapidly that the metal of the blank near the upsetportion does not reach a temperature substantially gi ater than the A03point of the particular metal employed.

The process ct forming; in one continuous operation an enlargement upona metal bar which comprises electrically heating and continuouslyleading and upsetting a portion of the bar Whose stock is in volumereater than the area of across-section otthe ar n'iultiplied by threetimes the diameter f a circumscribiiig circle of said cross-section, andhile that portion otthe bar which is l' upset is laterally unsupportet.

(L The process of forming in continuous operation an enlargement upon anstalbar' which comprises heating etwee two ele'r'trodes andcontinuously "feeding and up.- setting a portion of the bar Whosestockis in volume greater than the area 0t cros section oil? the barmultiplied by three times the diameter or" a' circum'scribing circle ofsaid cross-section, and While that portion of the bar which is beingupset is laterally unsupported. r

7. A process for making an article having an enlargement comprising theheating of ablank of substantially the diameter of the resultant stem ofthe article and so rapidly advancing the blank toward the heated end andagainst an upsetting abutment While continuing the heating, as .toprereint the blank adjacent the upset portion from reaching upsettingtemperature.

8. ln apparatus for forming an enlarge ment upon a blank, thecombination of an electrode provloledwith an elongated seat adapted tomake slldlng contact with said 1 icall 1 to u )s-ettin temperature theend I P i andlmeans for advancing said ,aeaare blank; a second electrodeadapted to en gage one end of said blank; and amember.

relatively movable toward and from said second-named electrode andadapted to hold the other end of said'blank againstrelative movement.

9 In apparatus for forming an enlargementupon a blank, the combinationof an electrode provided. with a seat adapted to make sliding contactwith said blank; a.

second electrode adjustable toward and from said tirst named-electrodeand adapted to engage one end of said blank; and additional meansrelatively movable toward and from said second-named electrode andadapted to hold the other end of said blank second electrode adapted toengage one end of said blank; and a member relatively inorable towardand irom said second-named electrode and adapted to engage the other endQt said blank, said lirst-named electrode being located inteianediatelyof said second .an'ied electrode and said member.

11. 1n apparatus for tl orming; an enlarge ment upon a blank, thecombination of a :frame an electrode liked thereon with an elongatedseat adapted make slid contact with said. blank, a second electrodemot'mted on said :lrame adapted to enone end of said blank, and meansopcrating on the other end or the blank to force irovided.

it through the first electrode and against the second electrode.

12. Clhe combination specified in claim 11, in which the'tirst-namedelectrode is adjustably mounted.

13. in apparatus for forming an enlarge ment upon a blank, thecon'ibination ot' a ltltan elongated seat adapted to make slidingcontact with said blank, a second elcctrode mounted on said frameadapted to engage one end of said blank, movable means for engaging theother endct said blank, movable means to causethe" blank to pass/throughthe first electrode and against'the'second elcctrode to upset the end ofthe blank.

In Witness.whereoi l athi; my signature. DENYS Gllllltl ame, anelectrode lined thereon provided.

